


Desert Sun Runs Red

by KnightenDai



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha Ushijima, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Character Death, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Kageyama, Omega Verse, Sexual Harassment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 18:34:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11446650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnightenDai/pseuds/KnightenDai
Summary: "The moment your hand falls into another's and you actually feel something at the contact, something other than a sweaty palm and twitchy fingers, you'll know. You will want to stay beside them for as long as possible, get as close as your physical bodies will allow at all moments in time, and you will want nothing more than to protect them with your life..." A slow breath left the man in front of him before a single eyebrow twitched up curiously. "Have you felt something like that before?""Yes... I think I have," he responded before looking down at his hand, still feeling the ghost of the contact from the day before on his knuckles.





	Desert Sun Runs Red

**Author's Note:**

> Multiple POV changes ahead~

A loud, obnoxious hum echoed off the stone walls of the corridor, followed quickly by the staggered pounding and clicks of steel heeled boots. In the dead silence of the inner halls, it was rather ominous sounding and drew small shivers up the spines of the guards standing at attention in front of a large set of wooden doors. 

They were lined up from the edge of the doors down, five men on either side with about a meter between each of them. Weapons were held at their sides, spears and swords depending on the wielder's liking, and the white steel armor with patches of purple cloth seemed to suck the light out of the area.

“Who is that…?” One standing in the middle asked quietly, voice a hushed whisper as the sound got closer and closer. Each guard on either side of him glanced down at him, eyes slitted behind the facial guards. 

“The head of the King’s personal guard,” another standing across from him stated calmly and the man realized quickly that this was the head of the lower guard. In other words, his boss. “You’ll get to recognize your higher ups soon enough by the way they walk.”

“Oh…” He replied as he turned his head as far as he could without making it face a totally new direction, trying to catch a glimpse of this man. The rumors that filtered throughout the Kingdom didn’t make the man seem respectable at all- in fact, many called for his head on a spike.

“Stand straight, Soldier. He’ll address you,” the man said sternly and he whipped his head back into position, feeling something in his neck pop before a burning sensation followed, making him want to tilt his head to the side to alleviate the pain. But he couldn’t.

“... wo da yo~. Konagona ni kudake, nani wo?” There was singing now in between the humming, though it wasn’t a song he could recognize. But the weird pounding of feet hadn’t stopped, and he could feel goosebumps rising up along his arms beneath the cotton shirt he wore. “Seishin wo d-eh~?”

They stopped. All three of the ominous noises came to a halt just off to his right and he could hear his heart start to pound hard in his chest. Was this guy really going to notice someone that just started the day before?

“I don’t recognize you,” the voice was low, almost threatening, and he could hear the slow clicks of the man’s boots as he approached him. “Did you just start, Solider?”

A shock of red hair and a suspicious gaze entered his vision and he sucked in a breath, noticing how the man didn’t look anything like a person of power. The sneer that was slowly making its way across his face and the way he held his arms behind his back like a child making the wings of a chicken only confirmed the fact.

“Yes, Sir,” he responded easily, feeling pride well up in his chest as he managed to keep his voice from stuttering. “Yesterday.”

“Yesterday!?” The man said in an overly exaggerated tone, lowering his arms from behind his back before straightening. His face left his vision, but the man quickly reappeared as the visor on his helm was yanked upwards. “You’re so tiny! You’ve still got baby fat on your cheeks!” 

Anger welled up in him at that comment and he held back a harsh retort as he felt the man pinch his cheeks, eyes narrowing into slits. It was like he was being examined and the touches felt like liquid fire, searing his skin as his face turned red.

“Satori, let the boy go,” a calmer voice called from the side again, sounding like the owner was almost fed up with the antics of the taller man hovering over him. “You weren’t much better off when you joined the guard.”

“Geh!” The noise was odd and he watched as the man flinched at the words, letting go of his cheek in favor of pressing a hand to his chest. “I was way better off, Semisemi!”

Satori he knew must have been a first name, because none of his higher ranked officers had a last name like that. He had received the list to study last night after the final meal, but it never provided any first names. Semisemi, however, was definitely  _ not  _ a name.

“I told you to stop calling me that, dumbass!” The new man snapped and he saw a fist come into view, still unwilling to turn his head to look. It slammed against the redhead’s nose, making another strange noise fly from his lips before he went down, head hitting the stone floor with a loud, sick sound.

Some of the guards around him shifted on their feet and he finally looked over at the newcomer, recognizing the right hand of the King instantly. His heart felt like it was either going to explode or jump up into his throat and strangle him as he stared, taking in the sight of the soft silver hair framing the face that held an almost pouty looking scowl.

_ Shit, he’s pretty _ , was the only thought that went through his mind. No concern for his higher up that was on the floor, no shame towards the fact that he was obviously going to be caught staring. Just those three little words.

The man glanced at him and the scowl turned harsh, forcing him to jerk in surprise before he looked down at Satori, who had his free hand held up to his nose as he tried to stop the bleeding. A few specks had landed on the purple breastplate he wore, which looked very out of place with the old jeans and work boots he had on as well.

“I’ll be taking this,” the man said simply, bending down and yanking the object in the redhead’s other hand up, forcing him to release it. It was a letter, sealed with black wax. “Do clean yourself up, Satori. Wakatoshi will be most displeased if you waltz in coated in your own blood.”

“Well who’s fault is this!?” Satori snapped back, sitting up as he pinched the bridge of his nose and tilted his head back. “You’re the one who hit me!”

“And he will probably know it the moment you walk in,” Semi, if he recalled his name correctly, said with an almost sassy tone before he stepped around the other. His strides were quick and purposeful as he headed towards the wooden doors without a look over his shoulder.

“Hurry up, dumbass! I thought you were supposed to be an Alpha!”

A low growl echoed from the bleeding man before he stood up, the taunt directed towards his pride apparently giving him a renewed sense of strength. Honestly, he looked pretty scary.

“I’m coming, jeeze!” He snapped back, teeth clicking in frustration before he lowered his hand and wiped the blood off on his jeans, smearing it into the fabric. “Hey, newbie. Don’t get your head knocked in to soon, ‘kay?” The man said, turning to look at him with the dried red liquid painting the space above his upper lip sloppily.

All he could do was nod, making the visor that was propped on his head fall back down with a loud clang. A small smirk crossed Satori’s lips before he left his field of vision and the sound of the heavy door being slammed shut filled his ears as he stared at the spot where the man had been standing.

What had just happened?

“Lot to take in, isn’t it, Goshiki?” One of the soldiers that had glared at him before the fiasco started murmured softly, no longer seeming hostile. “Don’t worry. Tendou approves of you.”

Did he really? He couldn’t tell.

“You did well handling that, Solider. It’s good to see you can keep your temper reined in sometimes. Now, stand up straight,” his captain said, snapping the last command with an harsh tone that made him jump to do as he was told.

\---

“Wakatoshi~!” The loud, high pitched shout of his first name made him pause in his reading, the thick book resting in his lap as his fingers tightened around the porcelain cup that held his tea. “You have a letter~!”

“A letter?” He asked, speaking loud enough so that the two that were now in his study could figure out that he was in an alcove by one of the larger windows. His curiosity was piqued now, having not been in the middle of a far away discussion with anyone.

“Yes,” Semi’s voice echoed back in response before he turned a corner and stopped in front of him, holding the letter to his side. “Believe it or not, it’s from Karasuno.”

He raised an eyebrow slowly at that as he tilted his head to the side, setting the tea cup on a small pine table that was off to his left. His fingers curled around a purple ribbon and he slid it into his book, marking his page.

Satori darted in beside the silver haired man, making him grunt in complaint, and grinned brightly down at him. “Maybe it’s a party invitation! You haven’t been to a party since that Aoba Johsai one!”

Semi swung his hand around and slammed it against the overly excited guard’s face, making a sharp noise leave him. His fingers uncurled from around the letter, letting it fall while smirking as he watched Satori scramble to grab it.

An annoyed huff left the man and he found his own lips twitching upwards in amusement, the exchange being almost cute. 

“Let’s see what this is,” the guard hummed before sliding one of his fingers under the seal, popping it up with a slow creak. “I always found their seal really disturbing. I think they’re supposed to be crows?”

“Shut up and check it,” Semi said and crossed his arms, looking impatient as he tapped his foot against the smooth rug that covered the stone floor. Satori stuck his tongue out at him in response before pulling the flap of the letter back and tipping it upside down, shaking it a few times.

Only the letter fell to the ground and he snatched it up before it actually hit, unfolding it with a flick of his wrist. Nothing fell out of it, and he checked both sides of the parchment before holding it out, apparently approving of it.

“Come on, Wakatoshi! Read it!” The redhead exclaimed as he leaned forward in the plush chair, reaching out to take it from him. His fingers crumpled the parchment as he pulled it towards him, peering down at the delicate writing easily enough.

It took him a few moments to read over the black letters, brows furrowing a little as he heard Semi step up closer to him, leaning over the arm of the chair to peer down at parchment. Satori,  however, was bouncing on the tips of his toes, anxious to hear about it.

“It is an invitation to a celebration,” he said slowly before allowing the silver haired man to take it from him. “Apparently Daichi is bonding with a noble of his court in four days.”

“Mmm,” Semi made a noise of agreement towards that as he scanned over the letter for himself, scowling a little as he made sense of the words. “There’s a bio of the noble here and apparently he was mated once before this?”

“I thought once you were mated, you couldn’t mate again,” the redhead said with a soft pout tugging his lips downward as he shifted on his feet and moved to sit on the arm of the plush chair. “Even if your mate dies.”

“It’s not that you can’t,” Semi responded, shaking his head as they both turned their heads to watch him explain this. His tone was patient, which meant that this was a hard concept to understand. “It’s that most people are so grief stricken when their mate does die that they  _ choose  _ not to take another. More often than not they end up dying shortly the passing of their significant, which is why re-mating is such a rarity.”

“Oh~...” Satori said with a light exaggeration in his tone, nodding his head as he leaned against him, making a grunt pull from his lips. “So, this noble guy must not of been too attached to his mate, then.”

“Well, he was attached enough to raise a child with whoever it was,” the man said, waving the piece of parchment in the air with a soft shrug before holding it back out for him to take. Which he did, folding it carefully once it was in his grasp.

“So what is he, then? Omega?” His guard asked, making him look back up as he slid the paper beneath the cup of tea that had now probably gotten even colder than it had been when he had set it down..

“Nope, Beta. His mate was too, but their kid is an Omega,” Semi said with a shake of his head, making his eyebrow twitch as curiosity hit him.

“Last I checked, a Beta cannot carry a child,” he said slowly, hearing the noise of agreement that came from above him easily as he settled his hands back into his lap..

His answer was a shrug.

“That wasn’t in the bio. You’ll have to ask about it yourself when you get there, but I doubt they’ll be willing to share the information with even another King,” Semi said with a frown, and he could feel Satori perk up a little beside him.

“Does that mean we’re going!?”

“I was not planning on missing it,” he responded easily, turning his head to look up at the now beaming man. “It is good to keep solid relations with allies.”

“That’s such a lame reason, Wakatoshi!” Satori whined at that before tapping his fingers against his shoulder, obviously pouting. “You know the only thing Karasuno is good for is their booze!”

“You’re not going to drink, dumbass,” Semi snapped at that, obviously rather annoyed with the way the conversation had switched so fast. “You’re head of the guard, you need to stop acting like a child the moment a beer is set in front of you.”

The redhead stuck his tongue out at the man in response and he couldn’t keep the chuckle that rose from him quiet as his two friends began bickering like usual over his head.

\---

His hands tightened around the strip of leather that kept the heavy rifle strapped to his back and he was beginning to regret not listening to the Captain when he had said not to bother with it. The sun had heated the air to an unbearable temperature and it felt like he was going to melt under the weight of it and the almost insane amount of gear he had strapped to him.

He vaguely remembered seeing multiple guards standing just beyond the inner courtyard gates that were only wearing pants and boots, finding himself feeling rather jealous. Even though it was his own fault he was stuck cooking inside the steel armor that clung to his sweaty skin.

The moment someone had said he had a letter about an hour ago as he was lifting a spoonful of egg over rice to his mouth, sitting in the middle of the guard hall, he had been a flurry of motion. His food had been left abandoned where it was sitting as he jumped up to take the letter from an older soldier, ripping it open without even a glance at the seal.

Nobody had sent him a letter since he had made it to the capital and he found himself hoping it was news from his parents.

But the moment he had it open and the parchment, too expensive to have come from a lowly farm on the border, was sitting in his hand, he knew it wasn’t from them. The dark red ink that scrawled letters he could barely read and a lack of signature, a stamp resting in the place where the name of the one who wrote it should have been, only confirmed his suspicions.

So, he took it to the one person he knew that was smart and wouldn’t send him on a goose hunt - both literally and figuratively.

When the Captain had taken it from him, a piece of toasted bread covered in weird blue jam hanging from his mouth, the look on his face was something he couldn’t describe. A mix of shock and anger? Jealousy? Maybe something along the lines of disbelief? The man took the bread from his mouth, lowering it back down to the plate in front of him.

“Kid,” he had started, voice slow as he continued to stare at the letter. “Did you not look at the seal when you received this?”

He shook his head and received a glare in response.

“Next time you get one, check the seal. I imagine it was purple wax with a large bird on it, because this is from the head of the King’s Guard,” the older man said as his eyes skimmed over the almost illegible words and he could feel the blood in his face drain downward, sinking into his chest as his breath caught in his throat.

The only reason anyone was called to meet with the Devil of the Castle was to be publicly executed, but generally they were dragged out by other members of the King’s Guard. That was what he had heard, anyway, since there hadn’t been any executions since he’d arrived.

But then why did the King’s personal guard want to see him? He had only just met the redhead two, maybe three days ago if he remember his days correctly, and he hadn’t even given his name to the man. Yet when he had read what he could of the letter, it had been addressed directly to him. Not the company he was assigned to, just him.

“You’re expected in the East courtyard by the stables in half an hour, boy. I’d recommend you get going,” the Captain’s voice had cut through his thoughts like a hot knife through butter, making him jump a little in surprise before he took the letter from the man’s outstretched hand. “And don’t wear anything heavy.”

Oh how he wished he had listened to him before darting out of his office, running as fast as his legs could take him to one of the barracks to change.

Especially now that Tendou- he had learned his last name shortly after his first meeting with the man- was late. By half an hour, if he had to guess.

He shifted on his feet and contemplated taking the rifle off to sit on the ground when one of the stable boys walked up beside him, leading two horses that were finely decorated. The purple and white cloth was hanging in ribbons from the polished leather and bright silver studs showing between them as they swayed with every step of the powerful animal.

Confusion filled him as he watched the boy, probably no older then twelve years, tied the horses to a hitching post just off to his right, working quickly before darting back to the barn in a hurry. They weren’t possibly going to take those horses out for a run, were they? There was no reason to leave the Palace grounds as far as he knew, since he doubted a man of Tendou’s stature often took to city patrols.

The boy came back leading two more horses beside him, though these two were far less decorated. Their steps were rather dainty though, obviously not the horses that were taken on patrols, but more like ones that were used in parades or something similar. The Kingdom’s crest rested across each horse’s rear, though, and bounced with every step they took.

Once they were tied beside the first two, the boy turned to him and bowed before wishing him well on his trip which only lead to more confusion on his part. Though he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

“This boy is the one you chose to accompany us, Satori?” A familiar, smooth voice that had haunted his thoughts for the past couple of days rang out around the courtyard as the boy bowed again before darting off. “Did you not tell him how he was to dress in the letter?”

He turned around to face the two newcomers as he heard a light chuckle echo from the King’s Guard, feeling his face turn a bright shade of red when his eyes landed on the two. Thankfully the steel helm was secured around his head, hiding his cheeks from the other two.

The reason for the rush of blood that went both up and down, though, would forever haunt his memories, and it wasn’t because of the redhead that had opened his mouth to speak.

No, it was because of Semi Eita, the right hand of the King and  _ completely  _ off-limits, even in his dreams. The man’s silver hair was pinned back away from his eyes and his rather bulky frame, which he hadn’t noticed in the formal clothes he had always seen him in, was covered in what looked like light silk in varying shades of purple, pink, and white. The way the fabric was done up around him had him almost drooling, especially when he noticed the abnormal amount of bare skin that was showing.

His left shoulder and arm were bare to the sun, pale skin bright in the rays, as well as the upper part of his chest on the right. On the left, though, the soft pink fabric that ran up to curl around his neck and probably tie off in the back just barely covered him, showing a large portion of his side and about half of his chest. It cut off the bare skin just shy of where he imagined the man’s nipple to be.

And his  _ legs _ , he could stare at that sight for hours on end and only find himself wishing he could mark the pale skin in bruises and imprints of his teeth. The fabric from his left leg stretched over his groin and went upwards, sloping around his hips before dipping back down into a crescent shape to hide his backside, but that was it. From the edge that covered his hips, which included some of his waistline, down, the man was completely bare until you hit the golden rings secured to his ankles, as well as his sandals.

“... So hah! I win!” Tendou said loudly, his cackle like laugh filling the air and jerking him out of his thoughts, much to his regret. He looked up slowly, only now realizing he had not only been staring at the man for the second time in a week, but had also made the man the focus of some extremely impure thoughts. 

His stomach twisted into knots when he saw Semi’s sharp brown eyes staring back at him, lips pulled down into a sharp scowl that was obviously one of knowing disapproval. That look was not one that he wanted to see on the man’s face, ever, so he turned his own head away to look at the horses again.

“If Wakatoshi said it was okay, then I can’t argue. But if the kid gets in the way, I’ll break his wrist myself,” the man’s voice echoed easily and even though it was a threat, it still sent shivers of arousal down his spine. It was commanding and made his breath falter once more.

“He’ll be fine once he changes!” Tendou exclaimed before stepping up beside him and clapping his hand on his shoulder, startling him a little. He hadn’t been expecting the sudden contact, for sure. “Hey, stable kid! Bring that change of clothes I stashed in the office!”

A change of clothes? For him? Why? Not that he was really complaining, since he could feel the droplets of sweat rolling down his back and soaking into the waistline of the loose sweatpants he wore beneath the jointed armor.

It was only when the guard’s hand went up and tore off his visor that he realized he was starting to feel sick, and it wasn’t from the knowledge that he had been caught earlier. Considering the roll of his stomach and the grimace that crossed his face without his permission when the mini hot box was taken off his shoulders, it was all from the heat.

He turned his head to thank the man, noticing that he was dressed in a similar way as Semi, though not nearly as revealing.

“You won’t want to wear this heavy armor, so we’ll put ya in a protective jacket that’ll keep all your vitals safe, then throw this outfit on ya,” the redhead explained, not giving him time to speak before he motioned towards the stable boy who was running back to them.

Silk cloth rested in his arms and it was darker than the others’, made up of blues and deep purples. It was pretty, but he found himself questioning why they were dressing in something so light as the boy stopped in front of him and allowed him to take the outfit. It was two pieces and looked like it tied in the back, and there was a heavier piece of white material that was made to fit over his upper body sitting beneath it in his hands.

“The desert is gonna be hot as hell and we don’t need ya dying on us!” Tendou said before slapping his shoulder again, finally saying where they were going. “Now strip down and change before Ushijima comes around!”

His face paled at the mention of the King and his hands began to shake as he set the outfit on the ground, reaching up to undo all the straps and snaps that were covering his body from head to toe. He was so focused on stripping out of the armor and underclothes as fast as he could, that he didn’t notice Semi walk past him to examine the horses.

That was until he lifted his head to find the heavy vest-like jacket and saw the man bend over to check one of the horse’s hooves, bringing it up to sit in his hand easily. White covered any view he could of had of the man’s ass and he found himself rather disappointed as he looked at the spandex like material.

So the man wasn’t going commando… He should not have felt as upset as he did at that revelation.

“Oi, stop staring and get dressed,” the originally upbeat voice snapped at him and he jerked before lifting the jacket and standing, strapping it onto himself. “You’ll have plenty of time to stare once we’ve gone.”

“What did you say, Satori?” Semi’s voice wasn’t accusing, even as he felt his face turn bright red again, but genuinely curious. He wouldn’t sound like that if he had heard what the man had said, and he found himself looking down at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world when the silver haired beauty turned to look at them.

“Nothing~!” Tendou sing-songed loudly, making him wince at how close the obnoxious noise was to his ear. “Just told Pipsqueak here that we don’t get to ride the pretty horses! We gotta ride the good old runner-ups.”

Semi let out a soft snort at the defeated tone the redhead used at that before his lips twitched up into a grin and he laughed. 

Though he hadn’t seen the smile, the sound of his laugh went straight through his veins, pumping the blood inside him faster and faster until he could hear his own heart dancing to the even beat of the noise. It didn’t last long, but it left him feeling numb.

“Damn right you are! Nobody would put you on a horse with this many ribbons, you might swallow one after you bite your tongue off!” The man said as the laugh died, grin remaining in place as he turned back to the horse.

“Hey! I would not! You take that back!”

The two began to bicker as he lifted the bottom part of the silk outfit up, slipping his legs into the opening before pulling it up and letting it sit on his waist. It’s edge brushed along his shins and he was grateful for that, not feeling comfortable being so exposed in public even though he had just stripped to his underwear in the middle of a courtyard.

“I do not believe we are gathering here to listen to you two shout at each other for the next three days,” a calm voice echoed behind him and he found himself stiffening as he bent to pick up the final piece of his outfit, recognizing the voice from when he had to stand guard in the throne room.

That was the King, standing behind him while he was half naked, talking over him as if he didn’t exist. The King was behind him as he was changing, for how long he didn’t know. It was the  _ King. _

And all Tendou did was laugh and turn to face the man, waving his hand in the air as if motioning for him to hurry up. At least, he assumed it was directed towards him.

“What else are we supposed to do waiting for you, Wakatoshi?” The guard asked, stepping away from Semi, who looked rather calm now thanks to the little spat. “You know how we are!”

“Sadly,” the man’s response was clipped as he threw the material over his head and yanked it down, spinning around to bow to the man. Which he should have done the moment he had shown up, but it would have been awkward not wearing a shirt. Even though said shirt was now practically hanging off his arms, not being tied to the lower part of the outfit to keep it still.

“This is the one you chose?” The Royal asked, eyeing him with a rather unamused gaze before looking back at Tendou. He took that moment to look at the man, taking in the full purple and white outfit he wore with the royal crest carefully stitched in the cloth. 

He looked good, but still really scary. Especially with the two swords attached to his hip.

“Yep! I think he’ll do good, even though he’s a rookie. Plus, we’re going into ally territory, one of which wouldn’t dare attacking us because they’re so dependent, that I’m not worried at all!” The last bit wasn’t really necessary as he listened, reaching his arms back behind himself at an awkward angle to try and find the silken ties. He scrambled a little as the two men continued to talk before he felt a different sensation. A sharp tug came at his clothes before the shirt was pulled tight around him.

It only lasted for a second and he let out a surprised noise when the shirt loosened a little, now stuck in place. He turned his head over his shoulder to see who had tied it for him, but he was met with the rather amused gaze that belonged to Semi, who had apparently decided to drop the fact that he had caught him staring earlier.

“T-thanks…!” He murmured and got a quiet laugh and a pat on the shoulder in response before the man focused on the other two, stepping up beside Ushijima. 

“Why don’t you introduce yourself, kid? I think only Tendou knows who the hell you are,” he said and motioned towards him before crossing his arms. 

If he kept blushing as hard as he had for the past ten minutes, he was going to die, he swore it. “Goshiki Tsutomu! Tenth Company, Recruit!” He squeaked out before bowing, hearing Ushijima make a humming noise of what he could only hope was approval.

“Good choice, Satori,” he said with a final nod before turning towards Semi, looking down at the man who was tapping a single finger against his chin in thought. “Shall we start? I want to reach the Cross before evening.”

He searched his mind for knowledge of what the “Cross” was, having no idea at the moment what the Royal was talking about. But apparently the Noble knew, for he nodded his head before walking to the horses once more, moving around him easily.

“If we hit the Cross just after noon, it would only take us an hour to reach the capital. So I think we should try and move quickly,” Semi said as he reached forward, easily taking the reins of one of the decorated horses and untying it from the post. He lifted his left foot and slid it into the stirrup before standing straight on the ball of that foot, swinging himself up to sit on the horse. 

Tendou clapped his shoulder once more and pushed him towards the horses, making him realizing he had been staring at the man again, soaking in every detail of his bare muscles working to pull him up and over the animal. His face turned a deeper red.

“That would be preferable,” Ushijima said as he followed the man’s example, pulling himself into the saddle of the other decorated horse easily enough. “You said Caravans take two days from the city gates to reach Karasuno, correct?”

“I did,” Semi responded easily as he felt Tendou press the reins of one horse into his hand, motioning for him to get on it already. “They walk, though, so even a trot would shave hours off their time. A gallop would get us there fastest, of course, but a canter pace would put us there at early evening.”

“Then we’ll gallop. I wish to be there as quickly as possible to avoid the cold of the evening,” the King said before tugging on the reins of his horse, spinning it around before pushing his heels into it’s side, making it walk. 

He hurried to haul himself into the saddle when he realized he was falling behind, hefting himself up without any grace or dignity before settling himself into the saddle, feeling the leather press hard against his groin. It was incredibly uncomfortable, sitting with his legs spread, but he ignored it as he spun his own horse around and making it walk beside Tendou’s.

His gaze went forward as he ignored the soft sounds of conversation between the two in front, just letting himself focus on the swaying of the large animal beneath him. It was rather soothing, even though he had a feeling he was going to walk funny for the next day or so, and when they reached the gates leading out of the city, he didn’t realize it.

In fact, he had barely registered the civilians standing around them, too close for comfort, screaming their well wishes to the King and scrambling over one another to get a closer look.

Tendou let out a laugh before kicking the sides of his horse a few times, making it move forward at a faster pace than the others. The speed forced him to take the lead, and once the gates were fully open, his horse broke into a gallop.

Followed by Ushijima and then Semi, leaving him in the rear of the single-file line.

He kicked the sides of his own horse softly, making it snort loudly in what could have been exasperation before it took off at a gallop as well. They made quick work of catching up and he found himself enjoying the ride even though the dust of the dirt road they were on was settling in his nose, making him want to sneeze.

“You okay?” The call was light and he looked up, seeing Semi turned partially around in the saddle as he trusted his horse to continue going straight. A teasing grin was painting his face and he could feel his heart stutter as he pushed his heels down in the stirrups, trying to steady himself as the swaying and jerking got to be too much.

“Fine!” He called back and watched the Noble turn back around to face forward. Deep inside his mind, he knew he had to get ahold of himself before this spiraled out of control. But as he watched the man in front of him, noticing the easy way the man moved with the horse beneath him, he really didn’t want to.

Especially when he noticed that he wasn’t sitting normally on the horse, legs spread out to either side, but daintily with both legs resting on the left side of the animal.

If the image in front of him brought forth a few drops of blood from his nose and more than a few filthy thoughts, though he’d never admit to it. Even as he swiped his hand under his nose and brushed the blood off on the underside of the leather saddle to hide it.

\---

Gentle hands cupped his cheeks, thumbs brushing across his eyelids and he let out a quiet whine of complaint as pain shot up along his back. Heat was running up his body, invading every nook and cranny, and he rocked forward the moment a cool cloth was pressed against his forehead.

“Come on baby boy,” the man holding his face in his hands said gently, tone almost a coo. He focused on the words but found them slightly drowned out by his own heart pounding in his chest. “Deep breaths. You’re almost through.”

“Should I go get something for him to eat?” Another voice asked off to his right and he shivered a little, opening his mouth to let out a soft groan. 

“That’d be best. Something with a lot of protein that he can eat with his hands,” the first person said before he felt the thumbs move across his eyelids again, the movement soothing. “And get some lemonade or something cold for him to drink. Ice to chew.”

“Got it!” The other said before he heard the heavy wooden door to his quarters open and close, leaving him alone with the man in front of him.

“Your suppressants should start working soon, Tobio,” he said and he shakily nodded his head, letting out a slow breath. “I’ll have someone come in to give you a massage once you calm down, alright? I remember you saying how bad your back cramps up.”

“‘S fine,” he mumbled back in response before opening one of his eyes, peering up at the blurry figure. A small amount of panic pricked at his chest, making his breathing stutter, when he noticed that he couldn’t make out his facial features anymore. “Just… Water.”

“Shouyou is going to get you some,” the man said before lowering his hands further down his cheeks, squishing them and making him whine a little in complaint. “He’ll help you through this.”

The door reopened and he opened his other eye, feeling something cold brush across his skin that made him feel rather confused. There was no cold air here and usually heat started to flood into the room every time the door was opened.

“I got lemonade, ice, and meat buns!” The flurry of orange that had darted inside said, moving to his side as the man across from him lowered his hands and helped him sit back against the pillows that were propped up in a strange formation behind him. 

“Good,” the man said before patting his knee and standing up, letting the orange boy take his spot. “I’ll leave you with him, then. Make sure he soaks in cold water with the salt. He needs to get as much of the smell off before tomorrow morning.”

“Yup, I know,” was the response he heard before a cold glass was pressed into his shaking hands, another pair resting over his to steady them. They lifted the glass up to his lips before he took a long drink from it, tasting the sweetness of the lemonade on his tongue before he swallowed it.

Relief welled up in him as the chill settled in his stomach, mixing with the cool sensation that had settled over his skin. The hands shifted off of his slowly and one of them brushed across his forehead, presumably taking his temperature again.

“I think they’re finally working,” the significantly shorter teen said as he lowered his glass from his lips, looking at him. His vision was trying to focus and he could make out small details, like the scar on the boy’s left cheek or the way his nose was slightly bent to the left, but the big picture was still amiss. “Here, eat.”

The meat bun was pressed into his hands after the glass was freed from them and he lifted it up, taking a large bite before chewing slowly. Hunger hadn’t set in yet at all, but it tasted good. Familiar.

“It’s an Old District recipe!” The teen across from him chirped lightly when he apparently noticed his gaze on him as he ate. “I asked some of the cooks to learn it since you like it so much.”

“Thanks, Hinata,” he mumbled as he swallowed, ducking his head down towards his chest as he felt blood rise up to his cheeks, turning them a soft red color. A hand just slapped his shoulder in response and he took another bite.

“Not a problem! I may have stolen one for myself and downed it on my way back up here, so it’s all good!” Shouyou said with a shake of his head and a grin. He stared at him for a moment before scoffing lightly and finishing off the small meal, taking the offered glass once more. 

“For some reason that doesn’t surprise me,” he said before he tilted the glass upwards and drained it of its contents, hearing the insulted huff come from his friend.

“I have no idea what you mean by that!” The orange haired teen said before puffing out his cheeks, making him look similar to a puffer fish. He took the glass from him again and slid his hand around his wrist, pulling him up from the horde of blankets and pillows that had been his makeshift bed. “Come on, bath time!”

“I don’t need you to help me bathe, dumbass,” he said easily as he was lead across the stone floor, feeling his bare feet slap against the hot material. It made him grimace in discomfort, but he didn’t say a word of complaint.

“Maybe not! But your dad put me in charge of you, so I’m going to help you!” Hinata said before stopping in front of another door in the room, yanking it open to reveal the bathroom. “Besides, we’re not sure you’re suppressants are working yet! So if they aren’t and you start going back into your heat, someone has to give you another pill!”

The blush that had stained his cheeks earlier came back at his words, except this time it was much brighter and more noticeable than before. They had never discussed why the smaller teen always felt the need to help him through these messes, but he had never overstepped his boundaries and done something they would come to regret. It was just… weird.

“Come on! Strip!” Hinata chirped and released his wrist to walk over to the deep marble tub that rested along the wall beside three large windows. He bent over to dig around in a cupboard beside it, and he found himself looking away to pull his shirt over his head. “What kind of salt do you want? Your dad always says scented is stronger!”

“I don’t like scented,” he responded as he reached down and undid the belt that was holding the loose cloth pants up, letting them pool around his ankles within seconds. “I don’t care if I have to take a couple baths, just use unscented.”

“You’re so not fun, Kageyama,” his friend said with an overly dramatic sigh before the sound of water started and filled the room. A small grin flicked across his lips as he heard the familiar grumbles of how ‘lame’ he was before he forced it down and stepped out of the pool of clothes, turning to step up to the tub.

“I’ll get you some more clothes while you’re drying off,” Hinata said after he straightened back up, a can of white salt-like material sitting in the palm of his hand. His gaze was steady as he turned to face him, eyes never flicking downward as he focused on him. 

“Thanks,” he repeated the word again before stopping at the side of the marble, bending down to dip a finger into the clear liquid. It was cool, but not cold, which was good. His hands went down to the edge and he braced himself before stepping over the tall edge and sinking down in the liquid, a long sigh leaving him.

“I don’t know how this feels good,” the teen said as he sat down on the edge of the tub and unscrewed the cap on the can, holding it sideways over the water before giving it a few quick shakes. “The water is practically ice cold!”

“You’d understand if you were an Omega,” he breathed in response, hearing the rough pellets of salt land in the water as his eyes closed and he leaned back. The liquid lapped at his sides as the tub continued to fill and it was soothing, like a caress that was badly needed on his overly sensitive skin.

“I’m glad I’m not,” Hinata said and he heard him screw the top back on before setting it aside. He could picture the hard frown that was poisoning his usually upbeat, smiling face and he knew he was probably looking down at him now. “I don’t think I could handle it.”

“You could if you had to,” he sighed softly, the smell of the water changing into something slightly flowery that made his nose scrunch up in complaint. “You used lavender!”

A yelp echoed off the walls of the bathroom as he jerked suddenly, using his hands to splash the water at his friend to soak him in retaliation. “I think it smells good!” Was his defense, but he soon had to move to the other side of the room to avoid the splashes.

He sighed and shook his head before leaning back again, closing his eyes as the water slowly began to still around him. The faucet was still spilling more liquid into the tub and he propped his feet up underneath it, shivering as the water pounded against his sore, slightly burned feet.

“Hey, Tobio…” The soft tone and use of his first name made him look up at his friend, seeing the small frown on his face. Worry spiked through him, since they never called each other by their first names. “Are you worried about tomorrow?”

“What? No,” he responded easily as he felt his shoulders relax, mild relief filling him when he realized it wasn’t anything serious. “I’ve seen and heard Daichi practice his speech, and Dad says he’s confident that it’ll go well. There’s enough guards posted that there won’t be any objections or surprises, too.”

“That’s good, but not what I meant, Tobio,” Shouyou responded with a shake of his head before he picked up a bottle of shampoo, popping the cap off it before pressing the top against his palm. “I meant because of your heat. You’re still going to smell, aren’t you?”

“Mm…” He responded at that with a soft nod before he looked away, hearing the teen squirt the white soap into his hand. His eyes slid closed when he heard the bottle land back on the side of the tub and he soon felt a pair of hands slide into his hair.

“You’ve never gone out during your heat, right?” His friend asked as he leaned his head against his hands, enjoying the feeling of them going through his hair. “And there’s going to be so many Alphas in one room tomorrow…”

“It’ll be fine, Shouyou,” he responded before opening one of his eyes slowly, peering at him as they both frowned. “Dad has three of my guards assigned to me. An Alpha won’t be able to come within three feet of me.”

“Alright… Lay back.”

He did as he was told and laid back in the water, feeling the suds getting rinsed out of his hair as he let his eye close again. All further conversation ceased until he felt a hand slide under his shoulder and push him back up.

“It’s going to be so weird though. Tomorrow you’re going to be a Prince!” Hinata exclaimed suddenly in the silence, making him jerk as he reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. “Do you think they’ll make me your Beta?”

“What are you talking about, dumbass? You already are,” he responded with a snort, feeling the atmosphere around them shift as he reached forward and grabbed a rough looking cloth.

“I know that! But like, officially!” His friend responded before he jumped up, grabbing a towel to dry off his arms as he rubbed his own fingers across the cloth, making suds appear on the surface. “Like how Ennoshita-san is Sawamura-sama’s!”

He watched Hinata as he jumped on the tips of his toes, excitement obviously running through him at the idea of getting an official title. A laugh bubble up from inside him and he tilted his head to the side as he smiled, brushing the cloth across his arms slowly.

“I think they will,” he said back and listened to the Beta let out a cheer as he washed himself down. “Dad only trusts you, after all.”

Hinata opened his mouth to respond to that as he kept bouncing on his toes, but he was cut off when a loud knock came from the door. 

“Tobio-sama! Your father calls for your presence in the courtyard to greet more guests!” The voice of one of his guards came through the door and he paused at that before reaching forward and pulling the chain that was attached to a plug at the bottom of the tub. 

“Tell him I’ll be there in a moment!” He called back before he grabbed the sides of the tub and hauled himself up, shivering a little. “Hand me that towel.”

Hinata pressed the blue towel he had into his outstretched hand before rocking back on his heels, turning towards the door. “I’ll go grab some clothes.”

“Alright,” he agreed with a soft nod before he stepped out of the tub, wrapping the cloth around him as he felt his teeth start to clack together.

His friend returned quickly and helped him into a smooth, silk dress that he hated to admit fit perfectly around him. The zipper went up to the base of his neck easily and it hung off his hips in a way that accented the curves he had gotten since he presented.

But just because it fit didn’t mean he liked it. He was a  _ guy _ , he shouldn’t have to wear a dress that was obviously designed to be worn by a woman as the collar dipped down across his chest with nothing to hold it up. So what if he was an Omega? That shouldn’t label him as feminine...

He scowled at himself in the mirror until Hinata tapped his shoulder and motioned towards the door. “Suga’s waiting for you, Kageyama,” he reminded him carefully and he nodded softly at that before turning and slipping his feet into a pair of sandals that were sitting on the floor.

\---

One thing he had never realized on the so-far four hour long trip to the desert, the reason of which they were traveling to still completely unknown to him, was that the “Cross” was much more complicated than the holy grounds he had come to assume it was. In fact, it looked more like a battlefield bathed in alcohol than anything remotely religious.

Apparently their little band of travelers had yet to be noticed by anyone, even with the finely decorated animals in the center of their line, so he was offered a very unrestricted view of men dressed in all different colors allowing their hands to roam inappropriately across almost completely nude women and men.

Dark teal to the point where it almost appeared green, bright turquoise, and the familiar shade of purple meshed with the same shade of white and were easy to spot in the mess of bodies. But one group standing off to the side near tents that almost appeared to be falling apart with not a single one of the strippers amongst them were what gained his attention.

Black paired with a bright shade of orange decorated their armor, which they continued to wear even though most of the soldiers at the camp had stripped theirs away with the rising temperatures. They reminded him of the color scheme for All Hallows’ Eve and he may have laughed at the thought if it weren’t for the fact that they all seemed half dead.

Their frames were hunched, bending over the ruins of their fallen tents and perched on tree stumps that appeared freshly cut. Not a single bottle of alcohol or even water was seen amongst them and from what he could see of the Captain’s face, they were not in a very cheery mood.

“Pretty depressing, isn’t it?” A light voice came from his side and he jerked his head to see one of the well dressed men standing beside his horse, a hand curled around the reins to keep the animal in place. “Don’t worry. Ushijima-sama has stopped to speak with the Captains of the Camp. I’m not holding you hostage.”

“Who are you?” He asked once he felt his heart start to calm, noticing the man wasn’t wearing a any armor at all to protect himself. In fact, all he had on were expensive looking clothes that looked like they belonged on a noble.

“Name’s Hanamaki Takahiro,” the man responded with an almost dorky looking grin and he noticed then that the man had strawberry blonde hair that was more red than anything else. “From Aoba Johsai.”

“Oh,” he mumbled softly at that before nodding and bowing his head forward towards him. “Goshiki Tsutomu, Shiratorizawa,” he gave his name easily before receiving a soft nod of acknowledgement from the man.

“Good to meet you! Anyway, this your first time at the Cross?” Hanamaki asked easily, shifting the conversation like it was absolutely nothing.

“Yeah, it is,” he said as he looked around again, eyes landing on where Semi stood beside the King for a few seconds before they continued their sweep of the land. “Why is it called the Cross, anyway?”

“Cause a bunch of math people say the way the four Kingdom’s meet form some weird cross shape here,” the noble responded with a shrug. “Four different biomes meeting at one point where they all seem to stop just shy of this hill. You can only walk about 30 meters in any direction before you hit a Kingdom, so this is used as neutral ground.”

“Four biomes?” He repeated, drawing an absolute blank as to what that could mean. It made a small smirk dance across the man’s face as he nodded, motioned in a half circle towards the ring of tents that surrounded the road.

“Yup, biomes. You know, Shiratorizawa is mainly made up of plains, hills and small forests and such. Well, the other three countries next door to you guys have different builds. Aoba Johsai is mainly swampland until you hit about halfway, and then it’s lakes, rivers, and then the sea. Dateko over there is mainly made up of redwood forests, which are way tall by the way. Then Karasuno is pure desert,” Hanamaki explained while rolling his hand around his wrist almost lazily.

“Ooh,” he said slowly before nodding, understanding the explanation easily enough. “So if you were to look down at it from above, this hill would make a cross because of the different landscapes?”

“In theory,” the man responded with a grin and a shake of his head. “Nobody knows if it’s true or not, but it’s a cool thought, I think.”

“Explaining the Cross, Takahiro?” The calm voice of the King’s Guard echoed behind them and he turned in the saddle to look at the man, wondering when he had managed to get there. His hands were on his hips and both his feet were planted on the ground, his horse nowhere near him.

“Mm,” the noble responded before turning his head to look back at him as well. “You know how much I love the science behind it, Satori.”

The man’s hand left the reins of his horse and he tightened his fingers around the leather in response, though the horse didn’t twitch in the slightest as his tail swished back behind them. Tendou walked up and clasped a hand on Hanamaki’s shoulder before dragging him away, cutting off any further conversation they could have had.

“You do realize you don’t have to stay on the horse, right? Wakatoshi’s meeting should take at least another half hour,” another voice echoed beside him and he turned his head to the right, spotting the man he was harboring a very large crush towards standing beside the animal under him in a pose not unlike the other guard’s.

He swallowed hard as he looked down at him before nodding his head a few times, hands shaking as he looked away from him. Semi called for someone to take his horse before grabbing the reins, holding it still for him to get down.

_ Was this why Hanamaki-san was holding onto them earlier?  _ He found himself thinking as he chewed on his lower lip before releasing the leather in his hands and pushing himself upwards in the saddle, swinging himself over the edge. His hip hit the leather and he slid down, landing with a grunt before he stumbled backward, legs giving out from underneath him.

A scowl found its way on his face as he propped himself up on his hands, having fallen all the way back. His clothes were now covered in grass stains and dirt from it, and the drunken laughter he could hear from other soldiers rang loud in his ears, making embarrassment well up inside him.

It coiled in the pit of his stomach and he could feel blood rushing up to his face, aiming to turn him a bright shade of red. Until he heard a familiar trill of laughter that he swore was going to be permanently etched into his memory.

Semi was laughing at him, though it was only a light shake of his shoulders and he had his hand up in front of his mouth to muffle the sound. It didn’t help, though, because he could hear it loud and clear, every rise and fall of the pitch.

He wanted to hear more of it, but it ended before he could fully relax to the sound and the noble held out a hand to help him up.

“Not one for long rides, Goshiki?” The man asked and he felt his face flush again before he ducked his head towards his chest, shaking it. “You’ll get used to it, don’t worry. Now come on, there’s fresh beer in the tent.”

His eyes widened as he was pulled upwards the moment his hand slid into Semi’s, feet skidding across the dirt until he was standing straight. The amount of strength the seemingly normal sized Beta held was outstanding, and he felt himself grunt when his fingers were squeezed painfully.

It took a moment for him to realize why the silver haired man was squeezing his hand and he balked when it registered that he had been holding it for far longer than necessary. He quickly let go with a quick apology, getting a shrug back in response, before he watched the man start to walk towards the purple and white tent.

He hadn’t wanted to let go of his hand, though. It was soft, probably moisturized to cover what he could feel of old calluses dotting his fingers. The sensation of it fitting perfectly with his hand, tucked between his larger fingers, had felt like absolute perfection to him.

“Hey! Are you coming or what?” The Noble called over his shoulder and made him jerk once more in surprise. He lifted his head and swallowed slowly when he realized he had been staring down at his hand like an idiot. 

“Y-yeah! I’m coming!” He said in an overly loud tone before he moved straight into a jog, catching up with Semi. 

\---

He stared down at his feet as he felt his teeth dig into his lower lip, moving it slowly as he felt his own nerves start to build up inside him. It was hard for him to keep up with the two men in front of him while wearing the heeled sandals, though a steady hand on his back kept him reassured that he wouldn’t fall.

The three men walking with him were like the human version of reassurance, something he had never had before he stepped foot in the castle. He felt safe, actually secure around them, and didn’t fear anything so long as they were within running distance.

Even the Alphas that had their eyes trained on him as he began to descend the stairs after his father and the man that had been courting him for the past three months didn’t seem like threats anymore. Though the heat that was sticking to his skin, running deep between his veins and making him shiver occasionally was bringing out the scent that stuck everywhere he went, proving his vulnerability.

Telling everyone within the castle grounds that he was an Omega, unmated, and in heat.

His head went up when he heard low murmurs echo from the people that stood along the balconies, multiple comments that had him wanting to shrink in on himself and die echoing in his ears.

“That slut is walking around in his heat?” One man asked gruffly and he felt his shoulders twitch at the insulting name.

“What I would give to have him, he’s a beauty,” another laughed loudly, making his hands flex and shake as he wished there were sleeves attached to the dress.

“How much you wanna bet a collector knocks his ass up by the end of the night?” A final voice reached him and he felt the urge to duck his head and clench his eyes shut as tightly as they could go, letting him sink into the darkness they offered.

“Please remain calm, Tobio-sama,” a soft voice echoed in his ear and he felt a large hand brush across his shoulder, a comforting smell tickling his nose as the large Beta behind him leaned in. “We’ll get you out of here as soon as you’ve greeted the men from Shiratorizawa. But until then, please remain strong.”

“Yeah!” Another voice sounded to his left and he felt another smaller hand press itself against his shoulder. This man smelled similar to the one behind him, even though he was an Alpha. His scent, however, was mingling with the largest of the four, proving that they were a bonded pair.

“We’ll keep ya safe,” the third guard said and raised one arm, flexing it a little before looking at him with a smirk on his face. “Ain’t nobody going to touch a hair on your head while we’re around!”

“Thank you,” he murmured in response before someone stepped up in front of him, a hand sliding beneath his chin and forcing him to lift his head. His shoulders twitched a little before he felt himself calm down even more, knowing the men wouldn’t allow anyone dangerous near him.

“Tobio,” the sound of his father’s voice reached him before the sight of his face and he found the small grin the man offered to be infectious. “Are you okay to meet them? There are three Alphas in their group.”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he said with a nod, feeling his teeth click together as he put a rather firm look on his face. “But, uh, do I have to stay for long?”

“No, no,” Sugawara responded with a gentle laugh, sliding his hand up along his cheek before curling his fingers into his dark locks. He started to pet him before he continued talking easily, voice soft. “I’ll have Shouyou take you back upstairs with these three. But Daichi is expecting you to attend the dinner tonight.”

He bit down on his lower lip and rolled it between his teeth, feeling his nerves spike back up at the mention of sitting in a room filled with unfamiliar Alphas until he felt a finger tap the tip of his nose and he was faced with another gentle smile.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be seated beside me at the head table, with Shouyou on your other side. No one will get to you,” the man said before both of their names were called by a rather stern but still comforting voice.

“Koushi, Tobio,” the King said calmly before extending one hand towards his father, wordlessly insisting that they continue on with the task at hand. A single tap came to his cheek before the silver haired man turned away and took the larger hand, leaving him to remain between his guards.

“Let’s go see what Shittytorizawa is all about,” the one on his right said, flexing his arm once more as the one behind him huffed and audibly shook his head, the beads in his long brown hair tinkling loudly.

“Ryuu, don’t call them that,” he said softly as the other laughed a little and shot a smirk back to the Beta. “Seriously! You’ll get hit again!”

“Aaah, don’t be a baby, Asahi! Daichi doesn’t scare me!”

They continued to bicker in soft tones over his head, sort of, but he focused back down on the forms of his father and the King as they stepped off of the stairs. The conversations that had echoed over them from the men standing along the balconies had ceased and the dim sunlight that continued to try and peek over the edge of the castle towers shined into his eyes.

He blinked a few times and squinted a little as he spotted the forms of four horses standing in the center courtyard, the ribbons hanging off two of them getting caught in the small, hot breeze. The colors were pretty, better than the black and orange he saw every day, but the sight of three tall, obviously Alpha males had his heart racing.

It was protocol for him to get within arms reach of every noble and ambassador that came to the kingdom because he was to be named the next Prince. Which meant he was to get close to men that probably saw him as nothing more than an object to relieve pent up stress with.

“Tobio-sama, please remain calm,” Asahi’s voice echoed into his ear as his foot landed on the final step before the flat stone of the yard. “They’re waiting for you.”

His head bobbed forward in a jerky nod and he let out a slow breath, trying to calm his racing heartbeat as he stared forward. The mens’ features were becoming more clear to him the closer he got, though the steam that was slowly rising up from the stone was making it hard to tell for sure.

He took the final step off the stairs and moved forward towards his parents, though he felt himself stiffen when the presence of his guards disappeared. They were to stand back from him and any other royals during meetings, though he knew that they were all fast enough to make it to him if he were to be in danger.

“And this is my son, Kageyama Tobio,” his father said and extended his free hand to him. He reached forward and slid it into his as the unfamiliar smell of the men wafted around him, making his heart beat fast once more. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Kageyama-kun,” the largest man said as the other one with silver hair offered a small bow. He bit down on his lower lip before extending his hand shakily, fear nipping at his chest.

“You as well…” He trailed off as he found his hand practically being swallowed by the other King’s, waiting for him to fill in what his name was.

“Ushijima Wakatoshi,” the man said calmly before he bent forward near the waist, ducking down low until his lips brushed across the knuckles. They were chapped, he could tell, but they carefully went across each one as though they were tracing and memorizing every dip and rise.

It brought even more heat to his cheeks as he felt the blood in his body rush faster, hand beginning to shake in his grasp. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the man’s eyes rise to meet his and it was at that moment he saw something equivalent to pure, unrestricted lust flash across his eyes.

The man released his hand as he swallowed hard as he struggled to keep his head straight, something wet sliding down the back of his thigh. He watched the man straighten and saw the small grin flash across his face, making the liquid dripping down his thigh increase.

One thought went through his mind, though, and he found himself biting down on his lower lip to keep him from blurting it out.

_ Shit, he’s hot. _

**Author's Note:**

> 25 Pages of writing and it still isn't that exciting. Oh well, it'll be more action and smut packed with the next chapter!


End file.
